big pot of beef chilli for bonfire night
Hearty, smoky beef chilli that feeds a crowd — perfect for wrapping up warm on Bonfire Night with crusty bread or jacket potatoes.
This is the kind of big, forgiving pot you want for Bonfire Night — smoky, slightly chocolatey and built to feed a crowd warmed by sparklers. It’s sturdy enough to stand on a camping stove or left in a simmering pot by the fire (keep it covered and watched).
Make it on the hob in the afternoon and leave the slow simmer to do the work; flavours deepen overnight, so leftovers the next day are even better. Serve with crusty bread, jacket potatoes or tortilla chips for scooping.
Ingredients
- 30 ml rapeseed oil
- 1.2 kg belted chuck steak or braising beef, minced — Ask your butcher to mince it or buy minced braising beef
- 150 g streaky bacon — finely chopped
- 2 brown onion — finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves — crushed
- 2 red pepper — diced
- 2 carrots — finely diced
- 50 g tomato purée
- 800 g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 600 ml beef stock — made from stock cube or homemade
- 800 g tinned kidney beans — drained and rinsed (weight including tins before draining)
- 400 g tinned black beans — drained and rinsed
- 30 g dark chocolate — roughly chopped, 70% cocoa recommended
- 100 ml strong black coffee — freshly brewed or instant
- 10 ml smoked paprika
- 10 ml ground cumin
- 15 ml cocoa powder — unsweetened
- 5 ml dried oregano
- 10 ml chilli powder — adjust to taste
- salt — to taste
- black pepper — to taste
- 15 g light brown sugar
- 15 ml apple cider vinegar
- 15 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped, to garnish
- 200 g soured cream — to serve
Equipment
- large heavy-based casserole or stockpot
- wooden spoon
- ladle
Instructions
Heat a large, heavy-based casserole or stockpot over a medium hob and add the rapeseed oil. Add the chopped streaky bacon and cook for 5–7 minutes until starting to brown and the fat has rendered.
Add the minced beef in batches so it browns rather than steams — don't crowd the pot. Brown each batch for 4–5 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Return all the beef to the pot.
Push the beef to one side and add the brown onion, garlic, carrots and red pepper. Cook for 6–8 minutes until softened and starting to colour.
Stir in the tomato purée, smoked paprika, ground cumin, cocoa powder, dried oregano and chilli powder. Cook for 1–2 minutes to bloom the spices and deepen the flavour.
Add the tinned chopped tomatoes, beef stock and strong black coffee. Stir well, bring to the boil, then reduce to the lowest heat so the chilli is barely simmering.
Cover the pot with a lid slightly ajar and simmer gently for 2 hours — stir every 20–30 minutes and check there is sufficient liquid. The chilli should reduce and thicken slowly.
After 2 hours, add the drained and rinsed tinned kidney beans and tinned black beans, then stir in the dark chocolate, light brown sugar and apple cider vinegar. Simmer, uncovered, for another 10 minutes to warm the beans and meld the flavours.
Taste and season with salt and black pepper. If the chilli tastes too acidic, add a little more sugar; if it needs brightness, add a splash more vinegar.
Serve the chilli straight from the pot with dollops of soured cream and a scattering of fresh coriander. Good accompaniments: crusty bread, jacket potatoes or tortilla chips kept in a warm oven.
Tips
- Brown the meat well in batches — it’s where most of the flavour comes from.
- If you need to make this ahead, cool quickly, refrigerate and gently reheat — chilli often tastes better after a day in the fridge.
- Keep a ladle of warm water or stock to hand if the pot reduces too quickly while simmering.
- For a smokier hit, add a teaspoon of chipotle paste or more smoked paprika, but add gradually and taste.
- To freeze: cool completely, portion into airtight tubs and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Substitutions
belted chuck steak or braising beef, minced → minced turkey or chicken, same weight
Stays closetinned kidney beans → tinned butter beans, same weight
Stays closedark chocolate → a teaspoon of instant espresso powder or more strong coffee
Noticeably differentsoured cream → natural yoghurt, same weight
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 610
- Calories
- 36 g
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 620 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this vegetarian?
Yes — replace the minced beef and streaky bacon with 400 g chopped chestnut mushrooms and 300 g cooked lentils; add an extra tinned bean and extend the simmer by 20–30 minutes. Texture will be slightly different but flavours stay robust.
How can I make it less spicy for children?
Reduce the chilli powder to 1 tsp and remove any added chipotle. Add a little extra smoked paprika for flavour without heat, and serve with plenty of soured cream to cool each portion.
Is there a way to speed this up?
Use a pressure cooker: 35–40 minutes under pressure after browning will give tender meat. Finish uncovered to reduce the sauce if needed.
Why is there coffee and chocolate in the chilli?
They give depth and roundness: coffee boosts savoury notes, while a little dark chocolate smooths acidity and adds richness without a sweet chocolate taste.
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